Over the years we have been reminded by the two top minds behind the Zelda series that Link is a representation of the player. It gives reason for him to be silent, and often times gives reason for him to be a somewhat bland character. Still, many gamers hold strong ties that "we are the hero" and as such, things are perfect the way they are. People tend to suggest a lot of crazy things should change in the Zelda franchise, sometimes at the the dismay of many fans. A lot of you are happy the way things are, but does that mean our viewpoint on the hero may have been wrong all along?
Lets look at things objectively first. Shigeru Miyamoto and Eiji Aonuma have both laid claims that Link is you. It's often the reason given that if voice acting were to happen, no one wants Link to talk. Often times it the reasoning we have for him not having as much emotion as someone who is saving the world should have. Developer intent is that Link is us, so thus, he must be. But not so fast.
One thing that makes "us" unique is that we have the ability to make choices. I decided to write this article, for starters, and you have chosen to read it. Agree or disagree, we both made choices to go down that path together. Now, lets compare that to our hero, Link. When does he ever have a choice? I can't think of any time he really does.
Sure, we are asked if we understand what we were told, something that has been a staple in video games for the simple sake of having the ability to repeat what was just told to you in case you didn't get it all the first time around. However, is that a real choice? You say no, they repeat the question or statement, and do so until such a point that you say yes. You really don't have a choice: In order to advance you have to say yes.
Above: Kaepora Gaebora Wants To Know If I Have Amnesia.Some of the greatest freedom of choice we have had existed in Majora's Mask. The side quests involved mostly the choice of do we want to help this person or not. It is a legitimate choice. While choosing one way or the other doesn't help you advance in the game (as in, it doesn't change the outcome), it does make you feel more connected to the hero. It wasn't Link who reunited Anju and Kafei, it was I who did it. That may possibly be the single most touching moment in Zelda history, because I chose to help them.
This sort of freedom is rare in Hyrule. Now, some may read this and go, "Oh, so you want a Fable type game? Well why don't you just go play Fable then and leave Zelda alone?". That sort of defeats the purpose. If I am suppose to be the hero, Link, then I shouldn't need to go to another game to get that feeling.
This isn't to say Nintendo is wrong, and that we need choice. What it is saying is that, ironically enough, Nintendo needs to finally make a decision with Link. Is he is own character in the game, much like Zelda, Midna, Ganondorf, Majora, Anju, Kafei, and all the rest of the gang, or is he truly suppose to be me?
I think the Zelda series has been torn on this for some time. Frankly, I feel the allure that Link is us has long since been lost. It all starts with how you start the game. Say you're a female and you happen to play Zelda. Are you suppose to pretend you're a guy? How is that who you are? The choice is already taken out of your hands to begin with. So, where do we go from here? Really, it can go either way.
Above: I'm a guy, but even I would choose to play as a female Link if they looked this good.I have felt for awhile now that Zelda may not need to change so much as it needs to advance with the times. Part of that advancement is creating a richer experience with the hero. I could be bold and say he should talk, not only in text but in voice. I could say he needs a jump button. I could even go as far as to say he needs to be given choices in what path he takes to save Hyrule. Maybe he needs more emotional involvement? I honestly can't tell Nintendo what direction to take it. All I can tell them is to pick one side and go with it.
What about you? What would you like to see Nintendo do with Link? Are you happy the way he is?
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I don't take on Link's role when I play. I'd love to be like him, even if I am a girl, because of his bravey, courage and kindness etc. I know it comes standard with a controllable hero to do the right thing, but Link is a character of his own with his obvious personality.
Yes, he's mostly emotionless, and doesn't really talk of his own accord, but if Link was created to be a role playing character with no emotion so the players can fit theirs in - Link's main personalilty, and relationship with other characters wouldn't be seen. That's how I see it.
Personally, I've always wated the option of a female Link. I don't want anyone else to change just Link. It's true that they'd probably have to change the dialogue, but look at Mass Effect, it's an amazing game with so many dialogue options. It took a shorter time to create than your average Zelda game.
We already know that Miyamoto doesn't think story is all that important so that only hard part would be implementing the female version into the game.
It'd probabaly never happen though. It's just that if Link is reincarnated so much than why is he always male? I'm pretty sure that souls are gender neutral. Ah well, iit's not going to stop me playing Zelda so all I can really do is dream.
I don't think that Link should talk, but everyone else should, in full voice acting, not text.
Link should have his own personality. Gamers didn't complain when they gave Samus her own personality in Metroid Fusion. That said, Link should be a brave, selfless, self-sacrificing hero, but he should also have a sense of humor. He should be generous and kind, but also very alert, like if he was sitting in like a tent or something with his eyes closed, and some monster creeps up to the tent, he would instanty open his eyes and draw his sword.
I think Link already has his own personality- it's just very subtle, as he is the player character. The Link of The Wind Waker is much more cheerful and good-natured than the cocky Link of Oracle of Ages. Unlike Pokemon, where the player character is meant to be you to some degree, Link is already his own character. I certainly wouldn't mind playing a female Link at some point, but having a choice in that would feel completely weird to me. It's a very unique sort of story.
First of all, the girls dressed as Link is one of the sexiest things I've ever seen.
Secondly, I agree that there really isn't any choice in the games. Everything is laid out for you to follow. If you were able to go to the temples out of order, I think that'd be a decent start.
Someone mentioned Mass Effect and it's dialogue system. Dragon Age: Origins (also made by BioWare) has a system that I think would work better for Zelda. In Dragon Age, the player is given dialogue choices that change the path of a conversation. Every character speaks their lines EXCEPT the player's character. Were Zelda to implement a system like this, the player would have choices, there would be voice acting, and Link could remain silent.
The jump button should NOT be included. It would ruin the feel of Zeldas exploration, and the tricky platformer exploration would lose its edge.
Also, i believe the game play is just fine, although it would have to be updated to make it smoother to play on the Wii, and use the Motion+ controller.
As for a game with dialog, Nintendo said that if they did do it, it would ONLY be the very best, so it wouldnt give us nightmares of the 'Excuuuuuse me, Princess!'. Im kind of worried about this, but if they do it, i wouldnt be particularly upset.
I think it would help if Miyamoto was as involved as he was in during Ocarina of Time's development. I know he is working on newer and lesser known series' right now, but it would really help.
OK, lets say we could choose between Link and Linkette, and you choose Linkette. What would that do for "her" relationships with the other characters, such as your travel companion for the game. By the end of their respective games Navi, OoT Zelda, Talt, Midna, and Ceil are all girls and seemed to have fallen for Link. With Linkette what would happen? Would that turn those characters into lesbians, or would choosing Linkette effect the gender of the other characters? Would it turn the Princess Zelda into PRINCE Zelda? Would the KING of Evil, Ganondorf, become QUEEN of Evil?
Personally, I could just image the swarm of fanfictions that would arise from Linkette, not to mention a bit of controversy in the future if Zelda or one of the other girls feel for Linkette.
As for wanting emotion from the Zelda series...find and read the manga. Link is reluctant to slay VOLVAGIA!!
I have to disagree with you on this, although it is a good point.
Over the years, Link has become less and less of an "avatar"-esque character, although, in the heat of a battle, you still feel you are the one defeating the monster, and afterwards, you still say "Oh, I did this" or "I'm up to this point" etc. You don't say "Link did this" or "Link got up to this point" because he didn't- you did. So in that respect, the player will always be Link.
Also, Zelda has never really been a free-for-all game, you've never had full choice over things- it's impossible: you can't ever truly make a decision in any game, you can only do as much as the programmers code. Thus is the very nature of video games.
As Eralk Fang said, Link already does have a subtle personality- and I think it's a nice unique way Nintendo presents it- through the answers and reactions of all the other characters :3
And for the record, the fact I'm female has never stopped me from feeling I'm Link during the game, gender has never had much bearing on imagination.
The line between character, avatar and player is a hard one to draw though, it's a complex relationship that both proves and disproves its self. So all points on both sides are valid. xDD
Interesting..
The way I see it is that, link isn't you but he's the kid inside of you. Exploring, trying to help everyone, collecting junk, talking to randoms, and breaking your pots.. lol, idk just a thought.
Having more options sounds good, having the choice of being a good or bad link wouldn't suit Zelda. But having the option of taking different paths in the story would be great.
And if we're playing as a new link everytime.. he should look different. Although, im happy with the way he is, and I think there are other areas that are more important to spend time on.
Being an avid female player of Zelda titles, well I don't really care that Link is a guy. Whenever I put in 'my name', I always pick Link, simply because it's a bit stupid to name him anything else. Though, an option for a female Link would be nice, but I wouldn't really care either way.
And I have personally noticed that Link has gotten a bit of his own personality, especially noticable in TWW. Like when the Koroks started to sing, I got really annoyed by their voices, but Link was obviously seen to be enjoying it. Goes to show.
I would like to know why so many people would like voice acting in Zelda games. I really enjoy the fact that Zelda is still text driven, it gives it a charm that no other game seems to have nowdays.
Why should Zelda have to follow every other game in existence instead of being it's own thing.
I myself like to think I have a great imagination, and I enjoy giving the random NPCs my own voices in my head based of their hilarious expressions. (Like that fellow at the beginning of TP. "Heeeeeeey." Also imagine how much more annoying Navi would have been with a voice.) I also love to think about what Link could have said to create the reactions from the characters that we speak to.
Link is certainly his own character, but I feel by the way he is portrayed in the games, we as players have enough room to inject a fair bit of ourselves into him, which I find almost as satisfying as a typical RPG with a slew of different characters that anyone can relate to.
I still don't think I'd want Link to have a voice. If other characters were given voices, I wouldn't have a problem, but with Link, part of what makes everyone love him so much is his relative blandness and blank expressions when it comes to everything. I also love how you get everything Link is doing or thinking through the reactions of everyone else. It's just part of the whole "Link" persona.
And as a girl gamer, I have never had a problem with Link being a guy and I don't think they should make a girl version of Link.
That guy at the beginning that says "Heeeey", notably, was audible. The reason everyone knows what your talking about with that is because he actually spoke. Navi also spoke too, and naturally for her longer text, they could of easily made the voice more pleasurable.
Text driven to me doesn't give me much charm, in fact, it sort of takes away some of the charm. I am left to figure out what x character really feels based off their facial expressions. Naturally, some enjoy their own interpretations, but really it creates less of a connection to the world. It's more or less the fact that Voice Acting, just the idea of Voice Acting, fits really well in the Zelda Realm. Forget what other games have done: Were playing a fantasy adventure game. Voice Acting just fits.
However, voice acting is really a very minute part of this article. Link is what I like to call a tweener - he tries to be us, and tries to be his own person, at the same time. You can only really do that for so long. For Zelda to start advancing past what it currently is, that means advancements for the hero too. Instead, he's been the same sort of hero since ALttP. I am not asking for Zelda to fundamentally change here, I am asking for it to advance in times, as all games should.
Girls dressed as Link! OMG OMG OMG!! SO CUTE!
Some sexy girl Links you found there
Holy crap, choosing a female link? :3 lol Seriously though, having a choice of link's gender would be kinda interesting. Since, in fact most people name link whatever they want "link" To be after all. Course I'm spoiled and always pick link as his name XP
Anyway the gender choosing thing would be an interesting turn, because you'd have two different stories. Because people react differently to a female hero than a male one, the villain would also be different toward them. Knowing gannon wouldn't kill zelda how would he kill miss link? XD
If VA is meant to be implimented and add power to the story, then by all means do it. Link DOES talk, because one of the actions for the A button IS 'talk' so it's kinda unfair to keep him mute. If the actual story is demanding and emotional enough where he would need to speek, he should have that choice too. >_>
I don't play games assuming I'm the character. MMO's are the only games I think you can really, honestly feel like you have complete control. In Zelda games you are following along a set path. Indeed, you cannot progress without doing so.
It has bothered me for quite some time that Link does not speak. Honestly, he comes across as the most bland character in the game that he is the star of. Other characters supposedly hear Link speak-- and they use expressions to attempt to indicate his words. Link is communicating, they just don't take the extra step to give him a 3 dimensional personality.
This said, I do NOT want voice acting. That would likely be a terrible mistake. It would take a phenomenal voice actor to pull it off, and even then it sounds like a terrible idea. But text speech, even if it was infrequent, would be a welcome addition. Also, giving Link some back ground information would be nice. Make Link a heroic PERSON instead of a blank heroic place holder.
I think you're very much on to something here. I didn't realize that Link was supposed to really be the player - I agree that if that's Nintendo's goal, they're not doing it right. And I think it's the same issues that result in other voiceless characters in linear games suddenly developing voices in sequels (Samus and Jak come to mind).
What I think is really interesting is that the only choices you feel a real connection to don't advance the game or change the outcome. I don't think this is a coincidence - in fact, I think it's crucial. All the other "choices" that lead you to the end of the game aren't really choices - at best, they're puzzles.
I wrote an essay recently on what allows a game to really be about the player - it's available here: http://www.pixelpoppers.com/2009/09/play-me-story-part-two-what-makes.html
By the way you describe it, the Majora's Mask sidequest decisions are freely made (not tied to game mechanics), not invalidated by the game, allow the player to express themselves, and have real observable consequences (at least in your reunion example). To me, as I discuss in that essay, those are the exact ingredients for a choice to really be about the player and not the character.
I disagree, but it's a matter of opinion. I don't mind the fact that I'm not actually Link, that I'm just controlling Link. After all, if contrary, it would be weird, because Link is there, in front of you. Unless the game was first person, but that would eliminate the coolest part of the game, which is Link. Take old school Sonic and Mario games and you'll know what I'm talking about. There is no need. As a matter of fact, I prefer the feeling that I am controlling the character, that I can make him jump, slash, etc.
Two examples in a very different genre help and hinder your argument:
Half-Life(2): Another famously linear game and famously mute hero, everything is designed to make the player feel very much as though he is the "Free Man" - and unquestionably it works. It's a very involving game. But, I'd argue, not as much as...
Deus Ex: A famously non-linear game with a verbal main character. The sense of identification come from (1) the character's cool, and has neat dialogue choices and (2) massive freedom, but it's not so much the sense of freedom within the story that creates a sense of identification as the gameplay freedom... choosing to leave people alive and avoid confrontation, or finding a particularly cunning solution, or just tearing it up, those are the freedoms you feel, because any story choice will generally just send you down a pre-determined path (though don't get the impression I'm against it).
In Zelda I identify with the character because he has these choices too, not so much perhaps, but it's there. You know you'll have to enter a tough dungeon eventually to finish the game, but who hasn't put it off for a while to go collect some hearts or do something else? When I finally decide to face the challenge, that's my choice. And some of the moments I've identified most with the character are when I've chosen not to, when I've chosen to just ride around the world, exploring it fully or just to feel the wind in my hair, so to speak. No developer ever forced me to do that.
Actually, neither case helps or hurt my argument. In case, you haven't read the full article, I claim I don't know what Nintendo should do, but I do know they need to go one way or the other and stop staying in the middle. One way is the direction Half-Life took - going full blown into that aspect rather then dance around it.
The other is the direction you mention with Deus Ex. So, I didn't really take one side or the other, I merely said Nintendo has to go drastically in either direction.
I find it surprising how much of a push there is from some fans to Link speak. I feel there is a lot more that could be done with Link then having him speak. I'd rather see other areas explored before having Link speak.
Link speaking will isolate him from his fans... for all the people who see Link a certain way, their perspective of him will change. Link as a character to me has been rather consistent to this point. If you start applying voice and strong personality then you are limiting interpretation. It's actually something that is talked about a lot in art... if people regard video games as art that is. I personally do and I like having the ability to openly interpret Link instead of someone telling me who or what he is.
In any case of course this debate will rage for ages and I have no doubt one day Nintendo will give Link a voice. It's kind of inevitable I think, which is why I am personally kind of hoping that it may not happen.
Sorry about the double posts, but the truth is that I keep getting an error message about it being sent and so I resent.
Hopefully it remedies itself.
I'll clean up the double posts, I did it myself.
There is an error message because we are sort of revamping our content and template system, and we actually deleted the comment system template, so we are rebuilding it. No worries maverick, as you see, comments do still work. Will be fixed shortly.
I STILL EXIST, GUYS
Yeah I'm just cleaning up the code in the templates. A lot of it is still reused code from 2007 and an older version of Movable Type, so I'm cleaning it up so it's easier to edit in the future as well as less resource intensive on the server.
We want to pretty the site up a bit more but it's kinda hard with the current template system, so I'm rebuilding the entire frontend. It won't look much different, but on the backend it's much cleaner. :3
Link is you!? gamers must be retarded!
Gordon Freeman is you instead!
We control every of link's movements. That either means WE ARE LINK!!! or that we are supreme beings in the zelda universe that control Link which means essentially WE ARE LINK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And as for "You really don't have a choice: In order to advance you have to say yes," that's not about us not being link. That's about the zelda universe preventing him from not fulfilling his destiny.
WE ARE LINK. sort of.
You are right,navi would be more annoying with a voice,But if Link had his own personality,it would get annoying at times.Think about it.If Link had a personality on TWW it would get VERY ANNOYING.if the koroks started singing and link were to hate it and you were to like it,I'd be like WTH(what the heck?!).If link had a voice,it would be horrible.on TWW,when Tetra asks you if you're ready to go,if Link said no,What would be the point of playing the game?WE ARE LINK!!!!At least sort of.
I've always thought Link had a personality, and that didn't stop me from feeling as if I'm him. Really, there's no need to choose from "male or female Link" from the start - mostly because female Link would...suck.
A character doesn't need to me bland, emotionless or anything so that I can feel like I'm him. That's why I think giving him a voice would be nice (like Mario, who doesn't necessarily talk in the game, but we know how his voice sounds from the "it's me", "mamma mia" etc lines).
I don't know but I always thought that Link did have a personality. In Twilight Princess we were able to see more expressions and gestures of Link and that always gave me some kind of impression of him. Not only that, but in the game side characters always talked of him in certain way. So I would have to agree Link is Link. When I play I pretend to be like him. Them adding more emotions in new games would also be more appreciated. I don't like the idea of Link with a voice silent Link has always been amusing to me. But thats just me.
i like Link the way he is....silent like i am most of the time but brave and courageous. He is a good example of a hero. and even tho we don't see or hear him speak there all it would be is summing up what we already know so by pressing A is tells the char what has happened and whats going on without hearing it again and gets right to the next mission. He also may not express emotion but in a world ending crisis that's good....in Ocarina of time he shows some likeness to Zelda, he also shows fear in the begining of the game and when the gorgons go to hug him after that dungeon.
and having a choice between boy or girl doesn't matter to me either the only argument i have against that is the story is boy saves princess from evil power craving madman...so how would it be if it was a girl.
I love the Zelda games played all of em to date but wind waker was a disappointment and so have the two run offs of it.
what i would like to see in a console Zelda instead of Gannon put in Vaati. he was the villan in the hand-held games and just as evil as Gannon if not more. If he was in a console that would be perfect or a vaati/Gannon team and link had to save Zelda from both.
and having Nintendo choose to pick a side (as in strong silent or talkative) would be wrong to do cause they have always been a middle ground company......they have just let 3rd party companies walk all over them during the Wii/Ds campaign they are working on but having an old school feeling game would be nice for once cause game have been getting boring because chars. have been going by current event stero types and they are hard to connect to and in some cases (due to slang and "gangster language") are not understandable which i also cant stand to here at work so i typically avoid those games.
but games need to revert to older game stories and plot lines cause besides long deveoped RPGs like Dragon age, mass effect, and the upcoming Final fantasy 13 there are barely any stories any more or chars. that you can connect too. Call of duty,Halo, and Gears of War maybe be fine run and gun games there is no plot to them. In twilight princess there was the classic Zelda plot line just gone about in a different way.....which it was a little disappointing it was still a good game
Link is his own character, that's a fact. But he shouldn't have a voice because it would just ruin his trait of being the "silent-type". Link displayed different emotions in traits through actions and expressions, remember Wind Waker or The Oracles? Link's a man of action, he talks with his sword!
Last I checked, Link's identity was not up to some guy on a fansite named Nathanial Rumphol-Janc. That's all I have to say about posts like this that impose their views as if speaking for the entire fanbase or developers themselves.
I've played a lot of Nintendo games and my favorite franchise is definitely Zelda. However, all the decent Nintendo franchises have a character that doesn't talk. All the characters don't talk. Many have speech bubbles, but don't talk. TBH, the most connected I have ever felt to a character would be Nathan Drake from Uncharted. I remember when we both said oh **** at exactly the same time. Or when Elena asked if she had to climb another wall, while I was thinking the same thing! If Nintendo can even remotely accomplish this I'd be happy. I mean, come on, when has a character who talks ever been a bad thing. Sure, there are some bad characters that you want to shut up, but it wouldn't be better if the character had a speech bubble. Nintendo can keep their whole game and story the same, all I want is some great voice actors and some likable guy to play Link. If I feel more connected to a character who I know is not me, than a character that is supposed to be me, well that is pretty sad.
Nintendo needs to get past the fact that Link is not the player. He is his own person, no matter what they try to say. As Nathan has stated, we are simply not given enough freedom for Link to be us. If Nintendo really wanted Link to be the in-game representation of the player, the would allow character creation/customization. That, or they could simple create a hi-def camera that takes a picture of your face and uses it as the face texture for Link. Needless to say, though, I don't think anyone really wants to be Link. They want Link to be himself. He needs his own personality, and most importantly, he needs to speak for himself.
I definitely think Link has his own personality. As mentioned before, it's conveyed through the other characters reactions and relationships with Link. That's one of the reasons why I love the Zelda series so much. The hero has great qualities - modesty, generosity, kindness, respectfulness, courage, and discipline (among others). I never imagined myself as Link in any of the games (partly because I can't jump off 50-foot high cliffs and avoid injury by rolling), but I always simply appreciated being able to play as such a cool character.
Link needs a personality.
That's all I have to say.
I always thought Link had the right amount of personality.
I always thought part of the reason why the community of people on the Internet who make Web sites about the Zelda games has grown and lasted so long was because Nintendo always knew how far to take the story and let our own imagination take over.
It’s a very fine line, but it is there. Any reasonable person can figure out that Link is you to a point, but it’s always great to have a little guy on the screen that I can relate to. He has his own personality, but I breathe my own life into him, too. It would make no sense if we had a fully-developed, good-hearted talking Link to play as and then have him go stab the shit out of some chickens.
I would like to see Link have some more emotion in his games, the talking, I would prefer it if they kept that to the cut scenes only though, not while you actually play the game.
I think that "being" Link is a strength of Zelda. Link is not the story, it's called The Legend of Zelda, remember? Zelda/Tetra/Midna is the main personality of the game, and we're just trying to save the day.
As is said above, this doesn't necessarily stand in the way of voice acting, and on that issue I'am neutral. But i think that being the hero is one of the strengths of Zelda, and a reason that it is loved by so many.
Playing OoT as a kid, I remember feeling so bad about letting Ganondorf into the Sacred Realm. I kept having bad conscience about everything bad that happened to people. Afterwards, I realised how much that ment to me, and how it gave me a purpose to continue.
This means that in any game there will be parts where Link (me/you/us) cannot interact and becomes a silent bystander. That is why Zelda i so dependent on interesting characters for side-kicks, adversaries and people. And for all great Zelda games, that haven't been a problem.
I honestly like to think I'm Link when I'm playing Zelda, I'm Link, it's my adventure, etc etc. That's not to say Link is me, though, I don't like to think that Link is me, because then he'd be a fat chick, I think he has his own personality, but we get to kind of control it or live it.. I'm not sure anything I just said makes sense :|